Switzerland - Audac has appointed Radio Matériel as the exclusive distributor of its audio solutions in Switzerland. Radio Matériel will be handling sales, distribution and service of the complete Audac product line-up from their offices in Renens near Lausanne. Radio-Matériel SA is a wholesaler specialised in the import and distribution of audiovisual products in both installed as live environments. The company has a long history that dates back to the year 1932. Radio Matériel CEO Christian Cornaz looks towards the partnership. “Audac impressed us with their innovative product range, therefore we are delighted to be adding their products into our catalogue. Together with Audac, we will be able to meet the needs and requirements of our customers even more.” Audac’s international sales director, Marc Asselberghs adds: “We at Audac are always looking
USA - New Jersey-based Starlite has purchased a complement of Ayrton Khamsin-S, Ayrton's latest compact profile fixture. Starlite has one of the largest inventories of AV, lighting and control equipment on the East Coast and services the broadcast, concert touring, corporate, performing arts and educational markets. The fixture is the first Ayrton product that Starlite has purchased. “ACT Lighting (Ayrton’s exclusive distributor for in North America) demo’d the whole Ayrton line for us, and we evaluated the Khamsins in our shop for our rental inventory and use on our own productions,” comments president and CEO, Dean Danowitz. “There was a fair amount of debate internally regarding which profile fixture we should invest in next,” notes Jason Danowitz, vice president of event technology. “Ultimately, we chose the Khamsin-S because it checked so many boxes
UAE - Technical and staging solutions provider Protec has become the first company to order Claypaky’s new laser-source moving head Xtylos. Protec inked a deal to receive 350 units of the fixture and became the first AV equipment supplier in the Middle East to take delivery of Xtylos in September. The company has also added 48 of Claypaky Sharpy Plus fixtures to its inventory. “We are very excited that Protec was the first in our world sales network to place the order at Prolight + Sound 2019 in Frankfurt where we launched Xtylos,” says Egor Popovski for Claypaky in the Middle East. “Protec is also the first in the Middle East to receive the shipment of these fixtures and has become the largest stockist of Xtylos in the Middle East region.” Aaron Russ, head of Protec’s lighting department, adds: “Protec is always investing in the latest technologies, and
Belgium - Established 21 years ago, the PFL Group has grown to become one of the Benelux countries’ leading technical production businesses, servicing over 1500 projects annually with high quality sound, lighting, video and set productions. Constantly developing to meet the demands of its customers, PFL has just invested in more Yamaha digital mixing consoles. Investing in the latest technologies and new equipment is a vital part of being able to offer the best service in the fast-moving live and installed sound industries. This is why PFL has recently purchased two Yamaha QL5 and two QL1 digital mixing consoles, plus a pair of Rio1608-D2 I/O rack units. “The impressive, trusted QL series offers an excellent all-in-one mixing solution for small to medium-sized live events,” says Dominic De Gruyter, owner and CEO at PFL. “With the new QL series in house, we are
Brazil - Prolights has confirmed HPL Light Company as its distributor for Brazil. Alberto Da Silva, sales manager of HPL comments: “Prolights is the perfect addition to our offering here in Brazil. The importance placed on the customer and their journey is part of why we do what we do here. The difference comes with the fixtures they create, stemming from the design and development processes - they feature sets and types of fixtures are to answer a specific need or gap in the market and not just another me-too fixture. With the increasingly growing popularity of Prolights fixtures in North America we have seen this influence the uptake here in South America.” Prolights international sales manager, Paolo Albani adds: “Having HPL on-board as a partner is Brazil is great. They bring with them a wealth of local and market knowledge, experience and connections. We re
Belgium - With more than 45 AV Stumpfl media servers as part of their rental stock - all of which are updated to run the latest version of the Pixera system - AED Display has become the world's largest provider of AV Stumpfl media server systems. In addition to offering the new Pixera servers as a rental product to their customers, AED Display has organised and successfully conducted multiple Pixera training sessions in Belgium since ordering additional servers at this year's ISE exhibition in Amsterdam. AED Display managing director Thierry Heldenbergh explains the importance of providing training sessions in addition to the hardware itself: "Compared to other systems out there, Pixera is still the new kid on the block. This has many advantages and also brings some challenges. The advantage is that we can be among the first companies worldwide to offer a new media ser
USA - Through broadcast and online digital channels, First Baptist Dallas’ reach expands beyond its in-house attendance. With a following that spans tens of thousands of worshippers, the megachurch takes its audio and video capabilities very seriously, looking to lead audio engineer Brad Roberts to choose just the right gear. Most recently, Roberts became one of the first US users of DPA Microphones’ new 6066 CORE Subminiature Headset Microphone, relying on its capabilities to provide a discreet, high-quality sound for the church’s lead pastor, Dr. Robert Jeffress. “I chose to upgrade the lead pastor’s microphone to DPA’s 6066 because of its impressively small capsule and redesigned headset - for such an unobtrusive solution, the sound quality is impeccable,” explains Roberts. “The 6066 is completely hidden from close-up HD camera shots and its non-refl
Europe - JoeCo has signed a pair of distribution agreements that will ensure a greater number of European end users will have local access to the company’s full product range. The deals, which were signed at IBC, follow hot on the heels of the announcement that Beirut’s Boujikian Bros has taken on JoeCo distribution. Tonspur AG has become the official JoeCo representative for both Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The company, based in Adligenswil, already has a number of important pro audio brands on its roster. “We are delighted to be working with Tonspur in both Switzerland and Liechtenstein,” says Graham Murray, business development at JoeCo. “Their knowledge and reach into the local market is second to none and I’m sure their customers will be excited to get hands-on with the full JoeCo range.” Tonspur is also highly active in the local audio comm
Europe - Trussing, staging and hoists manufacturer Prolyte has been acquired by Area Four Industries. The news of the acquisition comes shortly after Prolyte filed for bankruptcy. Prolyte will retain its brand identity but will undergo a management, production and strategic reorganisation. František Zykan, CEO of Area Four Industries, comments: “We will invest in the development of Prolyte as a brand, as well as in new ideas and products. Our current partners remain equally important for us. I trust that in two years, Prolyte will be number one in customer satisfaction.” Founded in 1991 and headquartered in the Netherlands, Prolyte has an office and warehouse in the USA, an Asian office and factory in Guangzhou, China, and a European warehouse in Germany. Its portfolio includes ProlyteStructures, ProlyteSystems, StageDex, and ProLyft. Area Four Industr
Property Moves - An immersive Monopoly experience is the first show to be announced under a new partnership between Selladoor Worldwide and games company Hasbro Inc. The collaboration will see the theatre company and Hasbro adapt more boardgames into live experiences in the future. While further productions have not yet been confirmed, other boardgames in Hasbro’s portfolio include Cluedo, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Twister and Operation. Monopoly will run at a location in London which is yet to be announced in 2020. The experience will include a 75-minute segment where teams will compete to win tasks in order to move along the board, buy properties, and attempt to win the game. Features from the game including famous London landmarks, chance, community chest and jail will all be “brought to life” in a space that will also f
UK - disguise studio partner and workflow specialists, Bild Studios has invested in the new gx 2c hardware. Bild is a London-based visual engineering studio with credits including the opening ceremony for the Pakistan Super League, where 50 minutes of AR graphics replaced traditional pre-rendered content that usually is mapped onto projection surfaces or LED screens inside the venue. Founders David Bajt and Rowan Pitts have been working with disguise for over 10 years, delivering hundreds of software training sessions globally, while also using the technology on some of their most ambitious projects. “We've always put a lot of effort and detail into the pre-production, where precise system designs and creative content workflows are developed. We see ourselves living in the great world between tech and cutting-edge visual design, advising people and companies fr
Italy - Holoplot’s audio solutions are now available through partner company Leading Technologies, the immersive sound specialist has announced. Founded in 1978, Monza-based Leading Technologies is a pro AV specialist with decades of experience in sectors including theatre, concert arenas and retail. Leading Technologies has spent time over the last few months becoming familiar with the benefits of Holoplot systems, and a team from the company attended a three-day training event at Holoplot’s Berlin base. Danilo Meroni, live division manager and audio technical support, and Mauro Lavazza, installation division manager, at Leading Technologies, described the training event as “wonderful” and said that their team was delighted to encounter “very knowledgeable technical and commercial staff, and to have the chance to explore the potential and technical cap
UK - New research, carried out by Bournemouth University for the Events Industry Forum, has revealed that outdoor events have been much undervalued for the contribution they make to the UK economy, both locally and nationally, with a Gross Value of over £30 billion and providing employment for some 589,000 people. The research, funded by sales of the Purple Guide, is thought to be the first comprehensive study of the market to be undertaken. Its findings were introduced to key industry players at an event at the House of Commons on 24 October. In 2018, the year which was the focus of the study, over 140 million people attended outdoor events according to the researchers, ranging from music festivals to fairs and steam rallies. The good news for the industry is that 84% of those attendees were satisfied with the way events are run, and the majority of interviewees fe
Europe - Belgium-based entertainment technology engineering and automation specialist WIcreations has acquired the assets of Swedish advanced technology manufacturer, Visual act Scandinavia AB, effective immediately. The terms of the deal include all the IP, source coding, patents, etc., related to Visual act’s computerised control systems designed for all types of automated machinery - on, over or below the stage - for events, installations and venues. The move makes independently owned and operated WIcreations the largest automation rental provider in Europe. Hans Willems, CEO of WIcreations, comments: “This hugely exciting opportunity will assist our planned medium-term growth and allow us to develop even more dynamic and all-encompassing automation solutions for a wider range of clients, including full touring packages. “WIcreations has been usin
Germany - Genelec has opened an Experience Centre in Berlin’s Alexanderplatz. The new demonstration facility features a 27sq.m ‘listening room’ and allows the company to showcase its range of studio monitors and AV and home audio loudspeakers. This is Genelec’s third Experience Centre, joining existing facilities in London and Bangalore. It will be overseen by Genelec’s regional business development manager, Eric Horstmann. “We’ve set out to create the perfect independent listening environment for end-users,” comments Horstmann, “and Genelec resellers in both Germany and the surrounding regions, so whether it’s for demonstrations, training, regional launches or special events, the Berlin Experience Centre will become a major hub for Genelec activity in mainland Europe - and will support the efforts of our distributors and resellers in a very
USA - The organising committee of the 2019 Knight of Illumination Awards USA (KOI-USA) has announced the third and final shortlist for this year's awards. KOI-USA honours the talents and achievements of lighting and video designers for their work across the United States in the sectors of Theatre, Concert Touring & Events, and Live for Broadcast. The judging panel in the Live for Broadcast category have reviewed this year's submissions and selected the final shortlist of nominees, which is as follows: The Vari-Lite Award for Awards Show Jon Kusner for Billboard Music Awards 2019 Jon Kusner for CMA Awards 2018 Tom Sutherland for People's Choice Awards 2018 The Green Hippo Award for Digital Content Trevor Burk for CMA Awards 2018 Yussef Cole, Michelle Higa Fox, Jorge Peschiera & Marc Janowitz for Patriot Act
South Africa - DWR Distribution is inviting interested parties and companies to attend an L-Acoustics demo on Tuesday, 29 October in Durban. Taking place at the Glenridge Church in Stamford Hill, the free event will run between 12:00 and 15:00, with a focus on the L-Acoustics Kiva II and the A15 (Wide & Focus). Those wishing to attend should register at dwrdistribution.co.za/register/l-acousticsdurban.
USA - Under the banner Inspire, professional audio’s annual family reunion returned to New York City’s Javits Center for four October days where inspiration was abundant as leading audio innovators shared their knowledge and experience alongside gear designed to spark creativity and imagination while enhancing productivity. “The programme rocked, and the exhibits were packed with people. Everyone was very excited to be there,” shares Agnieszka Roginska, AES New York 2019 co-chair and AES president-elect. “No time in AES’s history has seen a more diverse, innovative and forward-looking programme.” Convention co-chair and AES Secretary Valerie Tyler elaborates: “We expanded the comprehensive technical programme to include more genres, a broader range of new technologies and a wider breadth of voices than ever before.” “We’re so proud of the
USA - Global design and BIM software provider Vectorworks has announced open registration for its fifth Vectorworks Design Summit. From 22-24 April 2020 in San Diego, California at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, design professionals, educators and students in the architecture, landscape and entertainment industries will have the opportunity to attend industry workshops, product training for all levels of expertise, keynotes, networking opportunities and a customer appreciation party. “This is our first time hosting the Design Summit on the West Coast, and we look forward to the networking opportunities, training workshops and events we’ve planned for attendees in beautiful San Diego,” comments Vectorworks director of channel operations, Tara Grant. “With the resort’s numerous activities and this year’s speakers, we know everyone will have the perfect
USA - With just less than a month to go until LDI 2019, organisers have announced they expect record attendance and participation in this year’s events. LDI runs from 18-24 November at the Las Vegas Convention Centre, starting with the LDInstitute and LDIntensives sessions and LiveXperience Symposium, culminating in the exhibit hall tradeshow from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 November. “We’re thrilled that this year’s LDI Show looks set to be the most well-attended yet, bringing the global live production community from over 80 countries to Las Vegas to share ideas, exhibit and do business,” says LDI's managing director, David Johnson. “Our registration process shows us that people are coming from a wide range of international live and broadcast venues - festivals, corporate events, theatre, concerts, clubs, theme parks, architainment, and houses of worship. LDI
UK - Event production and hire company 10 Out Of 10 is celebrating 30 years in business. Formed by RADA graduate and tutor Paul Need in 1989 with the core idea of offering 10 key services to the entertainment industry, 10 Out Of 10 now works across a wide range of live events, from conferences and exhibitions to theatre, film and television. The company achieved success with its online store, which covered lighting and sound equipment, rigging equipment, staging consumables and more. The acquisition of Drax Lighting, a leading specialist supplier of event and promotional lighting hire equipment, in 2016 further increased 10 Out Of 10’s inventory. The acquisition enabled the company to strengthen its presence outside the capital, making use of the Drax Lighting office in Dunstable. In more recent years the company has set its sights on enhancing its event production
UK - Projection Artworks has rebranded to Pixel Artworks to reflect the company’s expanding use of pixel-based display technology. Tom Burch, managing director of Pixel Artworks, comments: “For over a decade, our pioneering creative, technical and delivery expertise has grown alongside the incredible advances in pixel-based display technology. For years we’ve been telling clients’ stories through the best medium for that project, whether that be OLED, lighting design, LED or projection mapping. It’s time our name reflects this. “Our clients used to come to us when the nights grew darker and people thought of projection, now our talented team of nearly 50 people across two continents can design virtually limitless concepts that excite, explain and inspire in any environment - from digital out-of-home to giant airport activations, to choreographed live shows
UK - Entertainment Technology Partners Europe (ETP Europe) has acquired UK-based video and audio technology companies Pixl Evolution Limited and Audio Evolution Limited. The two companies will retain their individual identities whilst gaining access to ETP’s resources. “These are the first two companies to join ETP Europe’s portfolio and are perfectly aligned with our existing brands in the US and our ongoing global strategy,” comments Paul Hutton, ETP Europe president. “Pixl Evolution and Audio Evolution are young businesses that have attracted a wealth of industry talent and have made an impression on the events market in a short amount of time. They will continue to operate as independent companies and now have access to significant investment opportunities plus ETP’s global technical inventory and support structure. This platform will enable the businesses to
UK - Milton Keynes-based hire company IPS has announced that hire stock of the new SGM G-7 BeaSt fixture will be available in early November. This new addition to the SGM G-7 range will combine a collimated beam effect with a high output strobe. Powered by LED Engines and packed in a compact IP65 rated moving head design, these fixtures will fit lots of design requirements. Following a recent series of significant investments in IP rated fixtures, IPS MD James Mason was particularly impressed after seeing the fixtures, saying, “These units are seriously bright, and can create massive looks from a comparatively small unit – it is almost hard to believe it is LED.” The fixtures represent a further commitment to the SGM brand, with whom IPS has a well-established relationship. The fixtures will join existing SGM products stocked by IPS including the G-Spot Turbo and
